Senior Psychological Therapist

About The Organisation

Here at NHS Lanarkshire, we put the patient at the heart of everything we do. Each colleague within the organisation plays a key role in how we deliver our healthcare services.

We proudly serve a population of 655,000 across rural and urban communities in both North and South Lanarkshire. NHS Lanarkshire is comprised of Acute Services (which currently provide hospital based services over 3 main sites), Corporate & Property & Support Services, North and South Lanarkshire Health and Social Care Partnerships which provide integrated primary healthcare and social care services to local communities and surrounding areas.

The Role

The core focus of the role will be upon the psychological assessment and treatment of clients, their families and/or carers referred from GPs and from wider CMHT colleagues, referred as outpatients. This post may also involve consultation and training with other health/mental health professionals within the community; as required.

Ideally the post-holder will be able to draw upon additional training achieved post-qualification relevant to the service, to a level of a working knowledge as a minimum. This may well be one or more of the following: BFT, CBT for Psychosis, around complex trauma and issues of personality – CFT, DBT, CAT, Schema etc.

As a senior clinician, the post-holder will be expected to undertake a role deputising for the Co-ordinator as required, at weekly referral allocation and MDT meetings with the CMHT, team meetings, representing the North PTT at meetings within NHS Lanarkshire, with local referrers and to take on the management responsibilities of the service during the Co-ordinators absence during sickness, leave etc.

There will be a requirement to become involved in activities across the wider work of the Psychological Therapies Teams operating within NHS Lanarkshire where necessary, e.g. staff training.

In this key role, you will:

• Provide a highly specialised psychological assessment and treatment service to Adult Psychological Therapies, exercising autonomous professional responsibility for the assessment, treatment and discharge of patients.
• Identify Service priorities in line with current best practice and Clinical Standards/Guidelines in liaison with the relevant Consultant Clinical/Counselling Psychologist.
• Be aware of relevant legislation and make appropriate decisions around safeguarding. This will involve carrying out appropriate risk assessment.
• Provide clinical placements and clinical supervision to trainee practitioners as appropriate, ensuring that they meet the level of clinical competency to work safely required by the relevant professional training courses, or specific treatment modality.

What You'll Bring:

• Hold one of the following:

a) HCPC registered psychologist (doctorate degree) or NMC (honours degree) or Allied Health Professional (AHP) (honours degree) or accredited membership of BABCP / BACP / UKCP or

b) Graduate basis for chartership (GBC) with BPS and have completed a clinical skills training programme at Masters level (accredited by the BPS).

• As well as having completed training in at least one evidence based psychological therapy the postholder must have additional relevant experience of providing a highly specialised psychological assessment and treatment service.
• Have knowledge of NHSL Health Board's Policies and Procedures, and national and professional guidelines for optimal standards of clinical care e.g. child protection guidelines.

What we Offer

As a valued employee of NHS Lanarkshire, you can enjoy an extensive range of benefits including:

• Annual Leave - 35 days including public holidays
• Generous NHS pension scheme
• Annual incremental salary progression
• Paid sick leave increasing with length of service
• NHS discounts and more.

NHS Lanarkshire is dedicated to building a diverse workforce where everyone can thrive, develop, and succeed based on their skills, knowledge, and talent - regardless of race, disability, gender, sexual orientation, or care experience* or any other dimension that can be used to differentiate people from one another.

*Care experienced applicants include those who have lived with foster parents, kinship carers, or in residential/secure children’s settings.

For informal discussion, please contact James Dickinson, Psychologist on james.dickinson@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

If you have any questions about the recruitment process or require support with your application, contact Nicole Hetherington, Recruitment Administrator on nicole.hetherington@lanarkshire.scot.nhs.uk

Interested?

Full details about the role are provided in the attached Job Description and Person Specification.

Please review our Application Guidance which explain key information including closing dates, amendments, right‑to‑work requirements, sponsorship eligibility and important points to be aware of before submitting your application

You can also learn more about working with NHS Lanarkshire by viewing our Information Pack

Unless otherwise stated, the deadline for applications is 23:59 hours on the closing date. Please note, CVs will not be accepted.